Winter Light – Nelly Volkovich

They say that spring will come again

No one knows exactly when

Still the suns a long lost friend

on the longest night of the year

You might recognize the opening lyrics from the Mary Chapin Carpenter song, “The Longest Night of the Year”, from her holiday album, Come Darkness, Come Light.

For those of us who sprouted roots above 40°N latitude, daylight works part-time during the winter solstice, and night becomes the primary custodian of our diurnal rhythm. The official longest night of the year occurs on December 22, a few days shy of Christmas day. It’s a harbinger of the season, like evergreen trees, cozy fires, and that Jack Frost nipping at your nose. After January 1, we shovel the light of holiday cheer back in the attic and have to contend with long dark nights on our own. About the time February arrives, many of us grow frustrated with winter, wondering if spring is ever going to return. The calendar says spring equinox officially begins March 20, yet we had snowfall well into April last year.

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